Announcing the Guild’s Summer Picnic for Writers!
Our flexible pricing means you can choose your picnic. Come to one session or come to them all!
$39/member per class; $49/nonmember - Student Discount 20%. Bundles of 6, 12 or 20 classes. Agent Appointments - $125.
See the full program calendar here. Register here or find the sessions you want to attend easily by searching in the categories above.
6-Session BundlePurchase a 6-session bundle! $222.30/Members, $279.30/Nonmembers. Join IWWG and get the Bundle for $297.30! After registering, you will receive an email with instructions. | 12-Session BundlePurchase a 12-session bundle! $421.20/members, $529.20/Nonmembers. Join IWWG and get the Bundle for $496.20! After registering, you will receive an email with instructions. | 20-Session BundlePurchase a 20-session bundle! $624.00/members, $784.00/Nonmembers. Join IWWG and get the Bundle for $699.00! After purchasing, you will be registered for all sessions. |
Special Series
Writing Your Tomorrows: Tools for Women in Transition
Tuesdays June 9,16,23,30 11:00 AM
Judy Huge
As Susan Tiberghien says, in times of transition like these, "We get to cast off what has imprisoned us in the old order so we can enter the portals of our new tomorrows." By digging inside our remembered pasts, our own personal Lost and Found Departments, we’ll use writing as a tool for uncovering the maps we'll be needing to guide us into "our new tomorrows." It’s said that the words author and authenticity share the same root, which means: genuine. This writing webinar uses writing as a tool for women seeking the most genuine form for the lives into which they will be emerging.
Writing as Business
Once you find the inspiration to put your poems, stories and memories in writing, you step into two worlds – one free-flowing and creative and the other, the practical pragmatic realm of business. Not all writers write for publication but if you do, then today, more than ever, you need to understand the processes of choosing a publishing option, of building your online presence (your platform), of the legal terms or issues you may come across, and much more. Our Writing as Business Series covers key elements every writer will encounter on the way to publication, whether traditionally published or not, plus some extras to help you navigate the often-daunting world of book promotion.
The Path to Publication Review the various publishing options (traditional path for fiction and non-fiction, hybrid presses pros and cons, decision to self-publish), and how to decide what approach is best for you. | June 15 7:00 PM |
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Querying and Pitching A pitch and a query are publishing sales tools for convincing an agent or editor to read pages of your manuscript and consider representing or publishing your book. Learn about submission guidelines, techniques for standing out and how to develop a relationship from the start, plus a few tips for feeling confident when pitching or querying. | June 22 7:00 PM |
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What Editors Want Learn about the process of submitting short fiction, nonfiction, and poetry to magazines (print and online), including how to find and assess journals, record-keeping, understanding rejections, persistence, and making the most of publication when it happens. | June 29 7:00 PM |
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Contract Issues for Writers Learn about the different kinds of terms writers may encounter in traditional publishing contracts as well as terms of service and contracts for self-publishing venues | July 13 7:00 PM |
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Designing the Perfect Book Cover Your book cover is one of your most effective sales tools, and it has to convey the story in a way that generates interest and curiosity. In this presentation with graphics designer Sharla Wailes, learn what decisions are key in designing a book cover as a harmonious blend of font types, technical specifications, and art. | July 20 7:00 PM |
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Building Your Platform while Writing Your Book Whether you are self-publishing or publishing with a traditional house, you are the one responsible for creating your brand and building a platform. You need to decide who you are to your audience, who your readers are, and how to reach and engage them as you write your book. Learn about the various tools to help you build that platform and which ones might be the best fit for you. | July 27 7:00 PM |
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Steps to a Book Launch Learn how to plan for and run a successful book launch whether you have an online presence or not, whether you are traditionally published or self-published. Timelines and planning goals will be reviewed. | August 3 7:00 PM |
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Protecting Your Work Learn how to protect your work from infringement and how to avoid third-party claims that you are infringing their materials. | August 10 7:00 PM |
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Your Story is Your Brand Author and Brand Consultant, Leah Komaiko believes that your brand is to be found in the story you tell. If you craft a compelling story that readers relate to, remember, and share with others, then you have discovered your brand. Learn how to think about what your brand truly is and how to best embody that for greatest success. | August 17 7:00 PM |
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Promoting Your Book Learn how to use Social Media to promote your book including the demographics of the different social media sites (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.) and how to target your audience. Includes suggestions for resources like social media influencers to expand your reach. | August 24 7:00 PM |
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SoulCollage®: Take Dictation from your SoulWednesdays
July 1, July 15, July 29 3:00 PM
Judith Prest
SoulCollage® cards are handmade small collages usually made on a 5 x 8 piece of matte board or backing board. Over the course of this three-session class, you will learn the basics of the SoulCollage® process, make cards, reflect and write from your cards, and share your writing. You are encouraged to continue your card making between classes. You will receive a list of materials needed and suggestions for where to purchase the backer boards and plastic sleeves.
Arielle Silver
Over three seminars in the Reading Like A Writer series, we will train our eyes on fiction and nonfiction excerpts from critically acclaimed writers like Mary Karr, Tim O'Brien, Cheryl Strayed, and Anthony Doerr. By closely observing masterfully executed craft elements, attendees will come away with sharper eyes, inspiration, and fresh perspectives for crafting their own stories, poems, and memoirs.
June 18 2:00 PM | July 16 2:00 PM | August 20 2:00 PM |
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Single Classes |
Words of Protest, Words of Freedom Writing can nail the loose stuff of our current reality to the page. We will read poems related to protests, (I will send them to you prior to our workshop,) we will write our own protests in response to the problems of illness, isolation and social distancing. I will invite you to share your drafts with our webinar. |
Life Writing: Creating Characters in fiction and nonfiction All writers are “life writers,” whether we are writing fiction, nonfiction, biography, memoir or a novel. Our job is to embrace the extraordinary and the everyday, to use our imaginations and our emotions, our research skills and our analytical abilities. But what happens when we write the lives of women? Are there special challenges to writing about women? |
KidLit 101 This webinar will offer an birds’ eye overview of the children’s book market, from defining the qualities that distinguish the picture book, chapter book, middle grade and young adult categories, to the considerations one needs to make in writing for and marketing to a young reader. Plenty of Q&A time will ensure your specific interests are addressed. Jen Malone has authored over a dozen books for ages 5-21 and published with children’s book imprints at Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins, Random house Penguin, among others. |
The Writer’s Roadmap Do you have a plan for your writing life? I mean a really clear one. Silly question, I suppose. Considering everything feels so up in the air these days. But there are still ways to focus and know what you want. You can find a clear path for yourself in spite of the chaos.This workshop is based on ten years of working with clients and is the basis of my book The Writer’s Roadmap: Paving the Way To Your Ideal Writing Life. It has helped thousands of writers find their way in the writing world. We’ll talk about knowing what you want so you can create a path to get there. |
Free Events |
Friday Free Writes |
Free Write with Yun Wei* Topic: Writing through Time: From Flashbacks to Foreshadowing | June 12 1:00 PM |
Free Write with Leslie Neustadt Topic: Poetry as Prayer | June 19 1:00 PM |
Free Write with Dorothy Randall Gray Topic: Soul Between the Lines | June 26 1:00 PM |
Free Write with Jan Gary Topic: The Building Blocks of Memoir | July 10 1:00 PM |
Free Write with Juanita Kirton Topic: Ekphrastic Writing | July 17 1:00 PM |
Free Write with Linda Leedy Schnieder* Topic: The Wonder of Words | July 24 1:00 PM |
Free Write with Georgia Popoff Topic: When "I" is Not "Me" - Inspiring Persona Poetry | July 31 1:00 PM |
Free Write with Linda Bergman Topic: Free Write Unplugged: Lock Your Mental Editor Outside | August 7 1:00 PM |
Free Write with Lisa Freedman Topic: Hot Fun in the Summertime: A Sultry Body-Centric Meditation and Free Write | August 14 1:00 PM |
Free Write with Lisa St. John Topic: Making Time for Words: The Power of Poetry | August 21 1:00 PM |
Free Write with Marj Hahne Topic: Expressing Emotion in Your Writing Without, Well, Emoting | August 28, 1:00 PM |
All Voices Open Mic |